It Will Work
by Lilley20
Summary: Rachel and Shelby get a second chance when Will phones Shelby after Rachel gets egged. AU to what happens after Rachel gets egged in the episode.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclamer! I do not own glee or any of the characters in this story.**_

It Will Work

Shelby made her way down the corridors of McKinley High. She didn't think she would ever be back here after the other month.

Saying goodbye to Rachel had been possibly the hardest thing she had ever had to do, but she did have to do it the girl had a life here with her fathers. She didn't need Shelby, it would only cause the girl hurt and confusion and that was the last thing she needed.

As she was making her way further into the school she started to think back on the events of her morning, it started with VA practice as usual, although her students had all been acting very unusual as though they were worried or possibly hiding something they really didn't want her knowing.

She got back to her office and started to grade a couple things and finalise some plans for the next week's VA practices when her phone started to ring, she thought about ignoring it until that is she sae just who it was calling. Sensing something was wrong and it would be important she picked up.

That is how she now found herself now knocking on the door to Will Schuester's office.

Will looked up, he moved open the door when he saw Shelby.

"Shelby, thanks for coming" Will said as he gestured for Shelby to take a seat

"What's this about Will?" Shelby asked as she started to get a little worried, from the look on his face she knew it was going to be bad and she really wasn't going to like what he was about to say.

"Your glee kids came here today. Took over out auditorium and put on an impromptu number to sike us out and to show the kids that Jessie is now back at Carmel, as well as he fact that he's been rehearsing with you for awhile"

Will pauses for a moment to look at Shelby, trying to gauge her reaction to the facts he had given her so far. Seeing no reaction he decided to just carry on.

"But, that's not why I called you…"

Shelby hadn't known what they had been up to, she didn't even know Jessie was back or had any plans of coming back on returning until she had walked into her practice to day and saw him stood there, she had been confused as to why he had moved away from Rachel.

"After their little performance, Jessie text Rachel telling her to meet him in the parking lot, he told her he wanted to explain, that he still cared and wanted to see her."

Shelby felt her stomach begin to drop, she now had a very bad feeling this story was only going to get worse from here on out.

"Rachel went to see him, but he wasn't the only one there waiting for her… All your team were… And they had a plan." Will looked at Shelby, he then looked down trying to calm himself enough to get the next bit out, but knowing he had to tell Shelby everything.

"Apparently showing her up in front of her own team wasn't enough. They Circled her in. And they has eggs. (He paused) They threw eggs at her Shelby. And if that wasn't enough your lead kissed Jessie in front of her, Jessie then walked right up to Rachel and smashed an egg right onto her head, making sure it would spill down her face as it broke. Then they left her there in the parking lot alone, covered in egg and they drove off." Will looked Shelby dead in the eye.

"She's a vegan Shelby and they know that."

As Will had been talking Shelby felt herself getting angrier, however when Will mentioned eggs Shelby felt her blood turn cold. She couldn't believe what they had done to her baby. Then she realised, they had all been acting weird during rehearsal today, had they already ambushed her daughter? were they about to head over and do it after practice? They had to know she would find out. And then Shelby started thinking of Rachel. Oh God! Rachel.

"Where is she?" Shelby suddenly demanded.

She needed to see her, she needed to be there, she had to be there. Forget appreciating each other from distance, this was different, her baby must be traumatised right now. Would she be thinking Shelby knew, if she was in on it somehow, that she had just let it happen, that she knew what jessie had been up to? No, she needed to see her, she needed to be with her right now, she needed her to know this was not okay, they are not going to get away with this.

As for Jessie, he is dead if he thinks he is going to just walk back in after hurting Rachel, no way, he can think again, that boy is going to wish he had moved state when Shelby is finished the little delinquent.

Before Will could answer Shelby was stood and moving for the door.

"Where's the dance studio?" She asked

"Down the hall third left, second door to your right." He answered automatically, wondering how Shelby knew where Rachel would be.

Shelby was out of the door and on her way to the dance studio before Will had even finished speaking.

As she rook the designated left turn she could hear Rachel's voice, she was talking to someone. Shelby peered inside to see who the girl was talking to, she found that Rachel was on the phone, Shelby listened in for a minute to see if she could figure out who the girl was on the phone too. What Shelby heard however made her heart stop.

"Daddy please, can you just listen to me for a minute. I need you right now. No i now you're at work. I know, I'm sorry I just really needed to talk to you. I'm sorry i know you're busy Daddy but i wa"

Rachel's voice cut off like she had been interrupted and she bowed her head as if she were a little child getting told off.

As Shelby was watching she couldn't help but think Rachel looked broken, she didn't look anything like the girl Shelby has encountered, even when the girl had shown up at et another one of her rehearsals in that dreadful costume during what Rachel had described as Lady Gaga week for the girls in her own glee club. And Kurt. Something didn't seem right here, what Jessie did should not have caused Rachel to look this lost.

"Daddy please just listen to me, something happened at school today. No, something bad, something really bad. No I- Please can you just listen to me, I need my Dad right now. No, not Dad I mean a Dad, as in I need a parent right now. It was Jessie. No it's not just a silly argument, no, I know not to bother you with stuff but this was really bad. He and his team mates at Vocal Adrenalin, Daddy they came to our school and they e- No they didn't, well they did do a surprise performance to scare us but that's not what I am trying to tell you. He told me to Meer him and- I know I'm hurrying, sorry."

Rachel again paused while one of her fathers was once again telling her off for inconveniencing his day.

"He egged me Daddy. no he really did. When I got to the parking lot they all came out from behind their cars, they were circled around me and they all threw eggs at me. And Jessie, he, he walked right up to me smashed one right onto my head, I just"

Rachel stopped talking and listened, her face dropped. Shelby didn't think that it was possible for that to happen but looking at the girl now, she couldn't have been more wrong.

"I wasn't being stupid Daddy, he said he wanted to explain, he was meant to be my boyfriend, I thought he wouldn't hurt me, he's been so good to me. I'm not stupid! And I am not naive Daddy! - No I'm sorry, noon I wasn't, I didn't mean to talk back, I'm sorry. But it is serious, no I now sorry but I- Yes I have show- Yeah I- I will, I will, I'll shower again, I'll shower before coming home, I will i promise - I"

Rachel stood there for a minute staring at her phone, Shelby realised that her father had buttoned her, she was about to walk in and announce herself when Rachel once again moved the phone up to her ear after scrolling for a second and pressing something on her phone.

"Pick up, please pick up, come on Dad pick up… No of course not. He never picks up. Loving parents… yeah right."

Rachel let her phone drop down into her bag that was on the floor next to where she had been stood, and that's when Shelby saw it. Stood paralysed, unable to move, she watched her baby girl as she broke down. Shelby looked on as the girl physically and emotionally crumbled.

As Rachel's body slid down to the floor fully Shelby felt herself get kicked back into action, almost as though seeing the girls body hit the floor made something snap within her, she was in the room and over to Rachel's side in a second, she wrapped her arm around the girl, trying with everything she had in her to hold her baby together, to help settle her enough so she was once again breathing normal, or as normal as you can get when you're a crying mess.

Rachel was almost startled when she felt someone sit down and wrap her up in their arms suddenly, looking towards said person she saw that it was Shelby and for a moment she was shocked that is, until the emotions of the day, and the way her father had been with her caught up to her. Well at least he had actually picked up for once, although she was beginning to wish he hadn't after the way the conversation between them had gone.

Rachel let herself cry into Shelby's shoulder. She turned herself further into he older woman and let herself be held, she realised she felt safe in Shelby's arms.

"Why don't they care? Why are they never here when I need them, they should want to be there and help me. I just want someone to care about me for once." Rachel sobbed, getting slightly louder as she went on.

Shelby could just bout make out what Rachel had said and she was now wishing she hadn't. She knew what she wanted to say, but she was scared and if she let herself she would admit that's what made her push the girl away the first place.

"I care Rachel, I care." Shelby knew just from looking at Rachel that the young girl didn't believe her. "I do, I know you don't believe that especially after the other month, but I do care about you Rachel, I really do. (Shelby took a deep breath) That's why I did what I did. I thought you would be better off, that you already had a life, a good life with your dad's, that you had a good relationship with them and you were happy . I didn't want to mess with that, I didn't want to ad confusion and more stress to your life. I didn't think there was a place for me in your life, in the end it would only hurt and I didn't think either of us could handle that. I couldn't deal with it not working, because I didn't have a place in your life, and then having to loosing you again, I just wouldn't be able to deal with it, i couldn't take it. Shelby looked into Rachel's eyes. Both of them now crying.

Shelby reached out and moved a strand of Rachel's still slight damp hair behind her ear.

"Babywhy didn't you tell me what was going on with your Dad's? When you told me how they used to bring you water, you made it sound and seem so caring? Shelby said, now stroking Rachel's hair.

"I was trying to convince myself I think, in reality they just didn't know what to do, or how to deal with me, so they just gave me water to shut me up really and to distract me, well that and to keep me hydrated after all the crying. They did it all the time, which is why now when I'm upset I get thirsty, I never used to know they difference until a few years ago. I wanted to believe that they do actually care." Rachel had calmed down a lot by this point but was still softly crying, she couldn't bring herself to look at Shelby.

Shelby noticed this and moved Rachel's face soothed girl was looking at her.

"Honey, why didn't you tell me?" Shelby asked

"I thought you didn't want me, they way you reacted when I came up to you, I just… I didn't want another parent to not care and push me away, so I thought it would make it easier to not really let you in."

"Ok let's get one thing straight right now, I have always wanted you Rachel. Always. When I agreed to be a surrogate I thought it would be easy, but when I felt you kick for the first timeI realised how wrong I was, I had a friend who was studying tone a lawyer, I asked her to try to find a loop hole or a way to discount the contract so I could keep you, or at least be in your life in some way, but there was nothing, not one loop hole or flaw. Once you turned fifteen if you found me I could be in your life but if not I could only contact you when you turned eighteen. I tried everything to keep you, but I had already signed the contract. Ok so I have always wanted you. But the other month. I thought you didn't need me." Shelby confessed, looking right at her daughter the entire time.

"But I do need you, I need you, I need someone that cares, I need a parent. I need my Mom."

"I'm right here Rach, I'm here, and I am not going anywhere, not now I know the truth about your Dad's. We're going to fix this ok, I'm not going anywhere. It won't be easy, but I promise you it will get better, it will work, I'll make it."

"But how, I'm not eighteen yet, they won't let you will they?" Rachel asked.

"You're sixteen, and you found me, you came to me first, so it's all legal, it's up to you Rach, now you've found me I'm allowed to be in your life, and you have a say in where you of, it won't be easy but we will make it happen, and if you tell the lawyers how things really are with your Dad's. They will listen to what you want, they will have to, you're legally allowed to have a say where you live and with which parent. I will deal with your Dad's so don't worry about that. I mea it Rachel I am here, now I know what's really going on you are never getting rid of me." Shelby said already coming up with a list of things and people she needed to talk to, to make this happen as soon as possible. There was no way Rachel was going back to that house with those men, she wanted her baby with her as of today and she would do anything and everything to make that happen.

After a few minutes Rachel had calmed down significantly and she started thinking.

"Wait what are you doing here? And how did you know where I was?" Rachel asked confused.

"Will called me, he told about what Jessie and Vocal Adrenalin did today, and about what happened int he parking lot. I am so sorry Rachel, I had no idea what they were up to. And trust me there is no way in hell they are getting away with it. I just had a feeling you'd here, the choir room wasn't private enough and the auditorium wouldn't feel right or safe after what happened, so I thought about where I would go. Guess I was right."

"Did you know about Jessie? About him still seeing them and rehearsing with them?" Rachel asked.

"No honey, I swear I didn't, first thing I knew about him being back was today's rehearsal after school. And the first I knew of them all having rehearsals while he was still here was when Will told me." Shelby explained hoping Rachel would see the truth in her words.

"I really thought he cared, he told me how did, he moved school, why would he do this Mom? Why would he want to hurt me like this?" Rachel fell back into her mother arms and just let herself be held, she let herself be cared for.

Shelby felt her blood boiling, why would anyone want to hurt her baby.

"I don't know baby, he's an idiot and he doesn't deserve you, you deserve so much better and from now on thing will get better." Shelby said as she held her daughter.

"Come on, we should get out of here, for one thing this floor is no where near as comfortable as my couch, and sitting here is in no way helping either of our backs." Shelby said trying to lighten the mood slightly.

Shelby moved to stand up, she reached a hand out for Rachel to take.

"Your couch?" Rachel asked, taking the offered hand.

"Yeah, you are coming home with me, I have a few phone calls to make, some people I need to talk to, to get started on making sure you stay with me. Then it's ice cream, show tunes and Funny Girl. Sound good?"

"That sounds amazing. You really think I will be able to stay with you?" Rachel asked a little worried she would end up having to go back and stay with her Dad's

"I will make sure of it. Don't look so worried, I will sort it al out ok. You are staying with me. And that's final. And I always get what I want in the end." Shelby said as she and Rachel collected her stuff and headed townwards the main doors of the school.

On the way out Will noticed Shelby and Rachel waling down the corridor, arms wrapped around one another. He noticed Rachel smiling, a real rare genuine smile. He hadn't seen that smile for a long time.

Shelby saw Will and started making her way towards him.

"Hey Will, I just wanted to say thanks. For calling and telling me what happened." Shelby said smiling.

"So what's happening now?" Will asked

"Well if I have it my way, she will be staying with me." Shelby said looking back towards Rachel who was stood at her locker getting the rest of her stuff.

"Staying with you? Why? What about her Dad's?" Will asked confused.

"Well let's just say things aren't as good as Rachel makes them out to be where home is concerned. You should have seen her Will, all she wanted was her parents to be listen and care, one of her Dad's didn't even pick up when she tried calling, and the other just barraged her and hung up on her, she's not ok Will she looked so broken, how didn't I see this coming, I thought she was so happy with her Dad's when really, she is lonely and feels like no one gives a damn about the." Shelby said feeling herself tear up, all of it finally hitting her.

"We all thought things were good at home for her. I should have seen it myself, I see her almost everyday. But she's obviously good at hiding it, she always has been a good actress. So where do you go from here? Anything I can help with?"

"Well I have to call my lawyer as soon as I get home, I don't want her going back there, I think she's going to need someone to look out for her while she's here, someone to keep an eye out and she can turn to when it's a bad day you know?"

"Of course, that's a given, if you need anything Shelby just call." Will said as he put his hand on her arm as a gesture of comfort and support.

Shelby smiled at him "Thanks Will, I will take you up on that." She moved into hug him. It was a very un-Shelby thing to do but she needed a hug right now, and she was starting to see that she could really trust this man.

Rachel turned from her locker after getting her things to see her mother moving to hug Mr Schu she wondered what was going on there.

Shelby pulled away from Will and smiled at him before turning to see Rachel stood looking at them with a smirk.

"And just what are you smirking at?" Shelby asked amused and also curious as to what the girl was thinking.

"Nothing." Rachel's smirk got bigger as she walked over to where her mother was stood with her teacher.

"Thanks for everything you've done today Mr Schu, especially for calling Mom." Rachel said to her teacher once she was facing him.

Shelby couldn't help the smile on her face at Rachel calling her Mom, the girl had been calling her Mom for about 20 minutes now, however this was the first time Shelby had fully recollected it, and she had never been happier to hear it.

"I'm just sorry this happened to you, and I want you to come to me about anything ok, I'm always here Rachel, remember that."

Rachel just smiled and looked to her Mom.

"Right, we better be on our way, you got everything honey?"

"Yeah, see you on Monday Mr. Schu." Rachel waved as she began to walk away with her mothers arm once again wrapped round her shoulder.

As they got to the car Shelby noticed Rachel become nervous. She took Rachel's bag and her own and put them in the back of the car. Shelby got in the drivers seat and reached over for Rachel's hand.

"You and me kid, you ready?"

"Yeah, Let's go." Rachel felt her nerves leave, her Mom was right, things were going to get better from now on.

Shelby smiled, she gave the girls hand a squeeze before letting go. She started the car and they headed for home. Together.


	2. Explanation

Ok so after reading people's comments I went and looked over the chapter and realised I had uploaded the wrong document. I uploaded the unedited version by mistake so I will be re uploading the second chapter with the right document this time. Sorry about that.

Also I have noticed a few people focusing on certain terms I have been using, the way I have worded some things and I would like to make it clear that I am from the UK not the US, so some things will probably not match up or seem right but in the UK that would be how we say it, for instance in the UK it is common for people to say 'looking round' instead of 'looking around'. So again just be aware of that and know I am trying to make it as authentic as possible.

Once again apologies for the mistake and I hope you all enjoy this story, thank you to everyone reading.


	3. -- Chapter 2

**_It Will Work._**

**_Chapter Two._**

**_Disclamer! I do not own Glee or any of the characters in this story._**

Arriving at Shelby's both mother and daughter were nervous about what was to come next, Rachel stood in the doorway not knowing what to do with herself, Shelby noticed this and moved towards her daughter.

"Come on hun, lets get your stuff up to your room, you can have a look around and start settling in while I make a few calls." Shelby said as she began to usher the girl upstairs just to the left of them.

"M-My room?"

"Well it was the guest bedroom, but as of today it's yours, It's pretty bland right now but we can always re-decorate it the way you want it."

"Really? You would let me decorate it any way I want it?" Rachel asked a slightly hopeful and excited look on her face.

"Of course, just as long as it's not too crazy, and it's not all black, had that faze myself around your age that was not an easy one to paint over" Shelby says amused at the younger girls excitement.

Once in what was now Rachel's room, Shelby turned to her daughter who was looking on in awe, ideas whizzing through her mind.

"Rach, Hunny why don't you have a look round while I make a few calls, I'll try not to be long" Shelby said as she pressed a kiss to Rachel's forehead before heading downstairs to her office.

She had finally gotten off her cell, two calls to her lawyer and a very long call to social services and it was now 5 o'clock in the afternoon. From what had been said on the phone over the last hour and a half Shelby was a little more relived than she had been in the car, she had been told under the circumstances Rachel could stay with her, the contract Shelby had signed was now void due to Rachel coming to her, which meant that Shelby could be entitled rights either way, if Rachel had to go back to her Dads or if she was allowed to stay with Shelby full time from now on. And being able to be in her daughters life, be there for her and be able to have a say in what happens and how she is treated is something at least until she figured out another way to get Rachel with her and just her.

Shelby shook her head, no it wouldn't come to that her lawyer and the social worker had made it very clear that the chances of Rachel being made to go back to her Dads was very slim at this point, and the chances narrowed even further if she was willing to give a statement detailing what things were really like in her Fathers' home, add on Rachel's age to the situation and that fact that at her age she has the right to choose who she lives with and it is nearly a slam dunk, not wanting to let herself run away with her thoughts again Shelby got up and headed out of her home office to find Rachel.

While Shelby had been making her phone calls Rachel had been looking round like Shelby had suggested, She made her way downstairs and into the living room, on the left side of the room there were a couple of shelves on the wall with a few small ornaments, DVD'S and pictures on them. Rachel made her way over to the shelves, looking at the pictures Rachel saw a picture of Shelby and another woman who looked a lot like Shelby but older, slightly lighter hair, but a darker skin tone than her Mom, she figured it must be Shelby's Mom.

Rachel started thinking about the day she'd had as she carried on looking around the living room, she started worrying about what was going to happen now, was she really going to be able to stay with Shelby, what were her Dads going to do when they found out where she was and that she had no intentions of coming home. Was she even allowed to be here with her Mom right now? Rachel started to panic at the thought of going back to her Dads.

Shelby was just about to head upstairs to find Rachel when she heard the girl in the living room, she walked in to find Rachel stood near her bookcase at the back of the room, she was breathing rapidly almost hyperventilating, Shelby rushed to her daughters side guiding her to the couch before her legs gave out on her, once sat down Shelby pulled Rachel into her and began rocking them slightly whilst whispering reassurances to her.

"You alright baby? What happened?" Shelby asked once Rachel had calmed down.

"I don't know I think I was just overthinking really, I was worried about what was going to happen now that I'm actually here and if it was really going to last. I was just stressing about my Dads and what they are going to do when they notice I'm not home tonight, when they find out I'm here, I don't want to go back there" Rachel said starting to get worked up again.

"Hey, it's ok calm down that's not going to happen alright, you're here with me and you're staying with me until and unless you don't want to live here anymore." Shelby pulled Rachel into a hug soothing the girl, calming her down again.

"Come on I think it's about time we started making dinner don't you" Shelby said a few minutes later. "What do you feel like having?"

"Umm I'm fine with anything really, whatever you feel like I don't want to be a bother."

"You're never a bother Rachel, come on let's have a look what's in, if we need to we can always order something if there isn't anything in you can eat." The mother said remembering once again that Rachel was vegan.

After having a look round the kitchen the two finally found something that they could both eat and would enjoy. Shelby had some sweet potato's in and they turned out to be one of Rachel's favorite foods, add some salad on the side and Shelby deemed it a good enough meal, for tonight at least, she went about her usual routine of cooking starting with getting everything she needed out on the counter, once she made sure she had everything she needed she made her way over to the speaker putting music on. Rachel watched as her mother began humming the song softly as she began cooking their dinner, humming turned into singing and Rachel could do nothing but stand there and listen to her mother sing, she had heard her sing before but this was different this way the music here Mom liked, this was the music her Mom connected to and she could hear that in her mothers voice as is floated through the kitchen. She found herself swaying to the music herself, eventually Shelby noticed Rachel stood listening a small smile playing on her face, it gave Shelby a feeling of warmth seeing Rachel relaxed and enjoying herself even if it was only for a minute, she was forgetting about all the stuff with her dads and she was relaxed. Shelby let herself enjoy this moment and focused on making their dinner.

Once they had dinner both were sat on the sofa in the living room Shelby was thinking about how she was going to broach the subject of getting Rachel to make a statement about her dads and what had been going on, worrying that it could be upsetting for the girl she wasn't sure when would be the best time to talk to her daughter about it.

Rachel noticed her mother seemed to be distracted and hadn't been paying attention to the show they had been watching since moving into the living room to eat dinner, not knowing what was wrong with the older woman Rachel decided it would be best to just ask, she already knew things here with her mom would be different than with her dads, she already felt like she could trust her.

"Mom? Is everything ok?"

"Hmm oh sorry baby I was just thinking about something that was said on one of my phone calls earlier" Shelby said secretly elated that Rachel had called her mom, she smiled softly hoping that she wasn't worrying the girl too much after her freak out before dinner.

"W-why what was it? Was it about me? Was it about me being able to stay here?" Rachel asked

"No it wasn't about you being able to stay here, it was about custody really. My lawyer and Social services thought that it would help if you gave a statement, they said it would help in getting me full custody and all rights. I was actually just wondering about how and when to ask you about it really, I wasn't sure when would have been the best time you know after everything that's happened today, I didn't want to put even more on you."

"Oh… what kind of statement?" Rachel asked unsure of the details what would need to be in this statement.

"Well it would be about you and your dads. Rach baby you don't have to do anything you don't want to or anything you are uncomfortable with, if you're not up to it then don't do it, it isn't necessary." Shelby said wanting to make sure Rachel knew she didn't have to do anything.

"Well I have never really told anyone about any of it."

"And you don't have to until you feel like you're ready… but sweetie I do think it would help if you talked to someone about it all" She said not wanting to push Rachel but knowing that it needs to happen at some point and she can't let her bottle it all up for the rest of her life.

Rachel sat and thought about it for a minute, she knew her mom was right bottling things up was never a good thing, it always ended up hitting you all at once, usually at the worst possible time, and that was not something she needed right now.

"Could I start by just telling you?" Rachel asked almost timidly.

"Of course you can, you can talk to me about anything, anytime. I'm here now don't think you're getting rid of me that easily missy." Shelby says trying to get at least a small smile out of the girl, it was faint but there a soft faint smile.

"Ok, well they have always been a little distant, when I was little and I was crying they gave me water to keep my quiet they knew if I was drinking something I would focus on that and there wouldn't be as much noise, that's why whenever I'm sad I'm also thirsty, but as I got older they grew more and more distant….."

For the next two hours both mother and daughter sat in the living room cuddled up on the sofa as Rachel told Shelby as much as she could about what her life had really been like, they cried together and Selby just let herself hold her baby, vowing to herself she would never let Rachel feel that way ever again, as long as she had Rachel she would do anything and everything in her power to make sure she was happy, make sure she knew she was loved and wanted. Rachel just let herself finally let it all out, she let her mom hold her. After telling her mother as much as she could Rachel was exhausted and nearly falling asleep in her mothers arms, realizing she had never felt safer than she did right now.

Shelby noticed Rachel falling asleep and as much as she just wanted to hold her all night like this she knew she still had one or two calls to make and sleeping on the sofa was never a good idea, it always resulted in a bad back for the next couple of days. And even if she was willing to do that to herself she was not having Rachel do it. Shelby gently stroked Rachel's hair started to shift the girl up a little bit.

"Come on, sleeping on this sofa is not something you want to do trust me. Why don't you head on up and get ready for bed, I still have a call or two to make and then I will be up to say goodnight, it's been a long day kid and you look exhausted" She helped Rachel up from the sofa and walked to the bottom of the stairs with her.

"I feel it, but you don't have to come up and say goodnight you know if you're too busy I can just go straight to bed." Rachel said as she accepted another hug from her mother, she liked that her mom seemed to be a tactile person, at least with her she was, it made her more at ease knowing if she needed a hug or her mom to just hold her all she had to do was ask or better yet just walk over and hug her.

"I've missed the last 15 years of being able to come say goodnight to you, from now on I plan on saying it every night, whether you like or not" Shelby said with a soft laugh. "Now go on, go get ready for bed, I put one of my night shirts on your bed earlier when you were in the bathroom and there is a new toothbrush and toothpaste in the cabinet above the sink. There are towels in the bottom draw of your closet if you want a shower before bed" She says gently turning Rachel towards the stairs.

Rachel just smiles at her mom and makes her way upstairs for what must be her third maybe 4th shower of the day she can't remember. Shelby heads to her office to get her cell that she had left there earlier, she had two more calls she needed to make.

'Well first off' she thought 'I need to make sure she has someone at school that knows what's going on and I can't be there myself' Shelby thought about it for a second before realizing the only person she knew at the school that had any idea that something was going on and the only person Rachel seems to know and trust was Will. With that thought Shelby started scrolling through her contacts until she came across Wills name and she pressed call. Waiting for him to answer she started to worry if she should be asking Rachel if this was ok first, but as Will picked up the phone she realized she was the mom here and this was the best thing for Rachel.

"Hello" Shelby heard when he picked up.

"Hey Will, it's Shelby."

"Oh hey, I was just thinking about you.. I mean about Rachel, I mean about you and Rachel, you know after everything that happened earlier I was just-"

"Will it's ok I know what you mean" Shelby says trying to hold back a laugh at his nervousness.

"Sorry" He says with a short laugh "I was just wondering if you were both ok is what I was trying to say, so are you both alright? How is Rachel doing, and I mean really, not the I'm fine act she puts on all the time." He asks his voice full of genuine concern

"She's.. Ok.. it's hard to tell right now a lots happened, I think it hasn't all fully sunk in yet you know?" Shelby says.

"Yeah, that's understandable but at least you're going to be there when it does sink in for her and that's that most important thing for her." Will says his voice strong with conviction

"Well I was actually just calling you ask you if you could keep an eye on Rachel in school, just so I know someone is there really when I can't be."

"Yeah of course, do you mind if I ask what's happened, it can't just be the Jessie thing right? Something else is going on here isn't it?" he asked cautiously.

"It's her Dads, they.. they're not the men I thought they were the way they have treated her, ever since she was a little girl I never in a million years when I knew them, the 11 months I spent around them, the 9 months I lived with them when I was pregnant, I never thought they would even think about treating her the way they have." Shelby says.

"Shelby what are you talking about? What have they done?" Will asks worry in his voice.

"Ugh where do I even start…"

When Shelby finishes telling Will the bullet-pointed version of what Rachel told her earlier and what Shelby had found out/overheard at the school she is angry and yet exhausted at the same time.

"Wow I knew something didn't seem right especially when neither of them bothered to pick up when I called them after what happened today, and I tried them both a couple times too and nothing, but I never thought it was this bad if I did I would have done something about it or at least tried to, I thought maybe they were just having a few problems lately." Will said shocked and confused on how anyone could treat their kids the way Rachel's dads had been treating her.

"I know I''m still getting my head round it myself, never mind Rachel." She sighed thinking of the girl once again and everything she had been through and everything she will most likely still have to go through if this ends up in a court room and that was the last thing Shelby wanted where Rachel was concerned. "Actually there was another reason I was calling too, I was wondering if you had and Hiram and Leroy's number by any chance could give me it? I need to call them tell them Rachel is with me, that I know what's been going on and Rachel is going to be staying with me until and unless I'm told she can't be by a court of law." She said hopeful that he would have their number

"Actually I do, I keep all the glee clubs parents' numbers in my phone just in case something happens at a competition or something, hold on a second let me just find it." Will says before Shelby heard a rustling sound on his end of the phone, then suddenly she hears his voice again. "Ok got it. I'm going to send it over in a text now, saves you writing it down."

"Thanks Will, for everything."

"Hey no need to thank me I'm just glad I could help, even if half of it was without realizing or knowing." Shelby can hear the smile in his voice.

"Well I'm saying thank you anyway so just shut up and accept it" She says with a slight laugh, amusement clear in her voice.

"Ok bossy, I can see where Rachel get's it from now.. it's in the genes." Will says laughing.

"Oi you watch it" Shelby replies laughing along with him. It felt good to smile and laugh for a minute, she doesn't know how he did it, how he could take her mind off of everything even for a minute, but he does, she's glad it was him she called. "I have to go call them now"

"Ok well I am up grading papers anyway, if you need to talk I'm here just call me ok" Will says softly

"Thank you, I might take you up on that." She says smiling wondering how it is this man can make her smile so easily. "Right, I'm going to go, bye Will"

"Bye Shelby."

After hanging up the phone Shelby takes a minute to breathe before going upstairs to say goodnight to Rachel, she knocks on the girls door softly wanting to make sure if she was already asleep she didn't wake her, or if she had showered she was covered up. She heard Rachel's soft, tired voice a second later.

"Come in"

"Hey, I'm surprised you're still up to be honest I didn't realize how long I was on the phone for until I hung up." Shelby says making her way over to her daughter who is currently sat at the end of her bed trying to brush through her wet hair. Shelby takes the brush from her and sits behind her brushing her hair for her.

"I decided to get a bath, I just needed to soak, make sure I was really clean you know? I got out when I started falling asleep in the tub though"

"Well i'd say you're more than clean baby, don't worry. But I'm glad you got out when you did." Shelby says as she finishes brushing her daughters hair. "Come on, let's get you in bed."

Rachel climbs under the covers and Shelby tucks her in.

"I'll see you in the morning baby, sweet dreams."

"Night Mom" Shelby's heart skips a beat, being called mom was something she would never get over hearing.

Once downstairs Shelby picks up phone opening the text Will sent her clicking on the number for Hiram and Leroy's home phone. Hovering over the call button for a second Shelby takes a deep breath and finally pushes down on the screen. She waits to hear dialing before moving the phone up to her ear. The phone almost rings out and just as Shelby is about to give up the phone is answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi. It's Shelby." She says breathing as calmly as possible trying not to loose her temper already when they had only just picked up.

"Oh, hi Shelby, let me just go into the other room and get Leroy, I'm guessing this is about Rachel?" Hiram asks thinking she is calling to talk to Rachel or to tell them she wants to be in the girls life.

"Yeah it is." Shelby's answer is short and clipped knowing she had to rein it in. At least for the minute.

"Ok one second… alright Shelby Leroy and I are here, you're on speaker what's up?"

"Do either of you have any idea where Rachel is right now?" She asks

"She's at her friends….. Mercedes… from her glee club" Leroy said, although not sounding quite sure of himself.

"That's funny because I got a call from her school today telling me that you had both been called and neither picked up but something had happened to Rachel and they thought it best for a parent to come down and get her because of how upset she was. So Rachel is here with me and has been with me since around 3:30" Shelby stated matter of factly.

"Oh? We had no idea, what happened is she ok? We can come pick her up if you want, save you the trouble of having to drop her off." Hiram says his voice sugary sweet as though he has no idea anything had happened to his daughter.

"Cut the crap I know everything, I know you both know what happened to her today at school, she called one of you, she needed someone to be there, to look after her, to support her. And while one of you didn't even bother to pick up not only to the school but also to Rachel when she called, anything could have happened to her and you didn't even pick up the god damn phone! And the other one of you picked up the phone and chewed her out for annoying you, for being a interruption in your day like she is just something stuck to your shoe. She's told me the way you treat her, they way you've been treating her since she was a little girl, so she most definitely will not be coming back to yours tonight and if I have it my way she never will, she is staying with me, I am going for full rights, full custody. You couldn't even spare a minute for your daughter the person in this world you are supposed to love, care for and cherish over everyone and everything in this world, and neither of you could be bothered to even listen to what had happened to her today, that her boyfriend had dumped her in front of thirty other students from Carmel and McKinley, and if that wasn't bad enough he lured her outside to the parking lot where he and all his friends were and threw eggs at her. Eggs. Do you have any idea what that does to someone never mind a young girl who also happens to be a vegan?! And you couldn't be bothered to give her thirty seconds of your time and tell her it was going to be ok, and she was worth more than him." Shelby could feel herself about to explode she was that angry. She could hear the men on the other side of the phone sounding uninterested, bored even, sighing as though they could be doing something better right now not giving a damn about their daughter

"You're unbelievable the pair of you, you can expect to hear from my lawyer as soon as, Rachel is staying with me so you better be prepared because I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that Rachel is placed with me full time, that I get all rights to my daughter until and unless she doesn't want to be here with me and so help me if you even try to stop me I will-"

Hiram cuts Shelby off

"You can have them, anything you want, all rights, full custody you can have it. We will get everything drawn up, signed tomorrow and sent over to you or your lawyer. We will pack all her stuff up and arrange a time for you to pick it up, or if you want we can drop it off while she's at school, we will text you and let you know when it's all ready you just tell us where and when and one of us will be there with her stuff." He says before hanging up on her.

Sat there listening to the dial tone Shelby can't believe what she had just heard, were they really just going to hand her over, just like that, did they really not care about her little girl at all? What kind of monsters had she let bring her baby up. How could they just giver her up so easily, having to give Rachel up was the hardest thing she had ever had to do in her life, to this day it was still her one regret.

Needing someone to talk to Shelby goes upstairs first to check on Rachel, seeing the girl sleeping soundly she moves back downstairs to the living room before redialing Wills number.

"Hey, calling back so soon? I'm guessing it didn't go well" Will says as he picks up.

"That depends on how you look at it really." Shelby says letting the hurt for her baby girl finally come out.

'What happened?" he asks

Shelby explains her phone call to Hiram and Leroy and finds herself fighting off tears once she is finished reiterating the details to Will. Hearing how upset she is Will acts on instinct and without thinking says..

"Hey it's ok, look what's your address I will come over" His voice full of concern for her.

"You don't have do that Will it's late."

"I want to, plus it's not that late it's only 10 o'clock"

"Ok if you're sure." She say a part of her relieved and thankful that he suggested coming round.

"Text me your address, I will be there as soon as I can."

"Ok see you soon."

"See you soon"

Shelby texted him her address and put her phone down turning the TV on for background noise until he got there.

20 minutes later Shelby hears a soft knock at the front door and get up to answer it. Opening the door Shelby smiles at Will inviting him, he waits until she closes the door before moving in to give her a hug, she accepts it gladly letting herself relax in his arms.

"Thank you for coming." She says face burred in the crook of his neck.

"Of course I came." He says rubbing his hands up and her her back in a soothing gesture.

**_Thank you to everyone who has read this, sorry it took so long to update x _**


	4. Chapter 3

**_It Will Work._**

**_Chapter 3. _**

**_Disclaimer! I do not own Glee or any of the characters in this story. Also I am British so I apologies in advance for any spelling errors. _**

20 minutes later Shelby hears a soft knock at the front door and get up to answer it. Opening the door Shelby smiles at Will inviting him in, he waits until she closes the door before moving in to give her a hug, she accepts it gladly letting herself relax in his arms.

"Thank you for coming." She says face burred in the crook of his neck.

"Of course I came." He says rubbing his hands up and her her back in a soothing gesture.

"You want to come through to the living room?" She asks pulling away from his warm embrace.

"Sure" Will says following her further into the house

"You want something to drink?"

"A coffee would be great, thank you." Will says with a soft smile.

Will made his way over to the couch as Shelby went to the kitchen to make their coffee's.

A few minutes later Shelby walked into the living room passing a cup over to Will before sitting down.

"You know you really didn't have to come over, I know you were busy" Shelby said making herself comfortable on the sofa next to Will

"It's alright, trust me I am glad for the excuse to get away from grading papers for awhile."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm thankful for the distraction." Will looked at Shelby noticing how tired she looked. "How are you doing? Honestly, not the strong woman thing we both know you put on."

"I don't know, I'm torn." She says with a frown

"Torn about what? Explain it to me, talking it through might help it make some more sense."

Shelby paused before talking trying to figure out how to word what was going through her head.

"I can't believe I didn't see it, knowing what I know now and looking back on the other month, there were certain things she said, the look in her eyes as she was telling me stuff about her dads, her life with them, I should have seen it. When she came to me at the first practice she snuck into, we were sat on the seats in my auditorium, she was telling me about her dads and how they used to bring her water whenever she was upset, she said that after awhile she couldn't tell if she was really upset or if she was just thirsty, thinking back on it, she didn't sound happy reliving that memory, she sounded distant but I just put it down to the situation we were in and I didn't think anymore about it, I didn't even try to read into it and what that could possibly mean or why they would do that." Shelby took a deep breath to calm herself before continuing.

"You were doing a Gaga week and she came to me at another one of my rehearsals in this god awful costume, told me her dads didn't know how to sow, she said she needed a mom and asked if I could help her, and again the look on her face Will, I should have seen it, she looked so down, she looked so upset and embarrassed, when we were making her costume, she went to change into the dress we had made to make sure it fit properly before we started attaching the under ruffles and the triangle to the right side of the top of the dress, well when she was changing I looked over the dress with the teddies on, looking back on it now and knowing what I know now, I don't think her dads knew anything about it, I think she did it herself, I mean the teddies were falling off of it Will, and I know her dads wouldn't have taken any part in helping her they couldn't even be bothered to talk to her on the phone for five minutes today, never mind helping her make a dress that would have taken hours if it was done right, I'm sure it took her hours anyway not having a clue what she was doing. When I went to her in your auditorium it was like she was waiting for me to come to her to tell her I wasn't going to be in her life, she was expecting to be brushed off because it's all she's ever had from her dads. They always push her away, never have time for her, when I called them, they didn't even take time to think, didn't try to fight me they just simply handed her over, gave up completely before I could even finish talking and said they would sign all rights over to me and drop her stuff off." Shelby was just letting her tears fall at this point, not even trying to attempt to hide them, she trusted Will, she didn't know why but she just did.

"They really just gave in like that? Not even a moments pause?" Will asked in disbelief

"I wasn't even half way through my rant telling them how I was going to fight with all that is in me to make sure she is with me, and she is staying with me, Hiram interrupted me mid rant and told me they aren't going to fight me and they will sign all rights over to me, said I could either pick her stuff up or they could drop it off, whatever was quickest and easiest, I didn't think they were like this, when I agreed to be a surrogate it was because I thought my baby would be going to loving, caring and kind people that were going to love her more than life itself, and instead they turned out to be horrible selfish, self centred jerks who have done nothing but ignore and hurt my little girl her entire life. And what I really don't get is, they knew I wanted her, they knew I wanted to at least be in her life so why not just give her to me while she was a baby if they didn't want her, or at least let me be in her life part time? I just don't get it, and I can't stand what they have done to my baby girl and I couldn't even tell something wasn't right when I finally did meet her, talk to her, spend time with her, I can already tell she is so much like me, so why didn't I see that something wasn't right?"

"Because she is so much like you." Will states immediately. Shelby looks at him confused on what he means by that, Will notices this and elaborates. "You have this way of putting on a mask, coach Corcoran, tough, smart, nothing can touch you, no one can tell what you are thinking unless you tell them, you're a good actress, and you have an amazing poker face, Rachel is exactly the same, she has a poker face and can act like some of the best on broadway when she puts her mind to it, you can't tell what she is thinking and you wouldn't know anything is wrong unless she told you. She is so much like you that even you couldn't tell because she covers it well, and with the circumstances that you were in when Rachel was telling you this stuff, she would have been confused with so many emotions going through her that anyone would have just put it down to the situation and nothing else." He explains.

"Yeah I guess, I just wish I would have seen it, done something sooner, not walked away." Shelby said tears still steadily falling. "But, on the other hand, I'm happy that I do fit into her life, and I get to have her in my life now, I get to really be her mom, it sounds messed up I know-"

"No I get it, you finally have your little girl back, not under the best of circumstances but you have her in your life, and she needs you."

"I feel like I shouldn't be happy though, everything she is going through, everything she has been through and here I am happy that it brought her into my life and I finally get to actually be her mom, she's been calling me mom for most of the night since I got to the school when you called me, and every time she calls me mom, I have to fight a smile because now is not the time to be smiling, it should be about helping her through everything she is going through, but I can't help being happy every time I realise that she's here with me and wants me to be her mom, needs me to be her mom. I feel guilty for being happy when she's so sad." Shelby confesses to Will.

Will moves closer to Shelby so their knee's are touching, both sat facing towards the other on the sofa.

"I'm sure once everything sinks in for her she is going to be happy about it to, Shelby all she has ever wanted is her mom, she told you that herself, once things start to settle down I know she will be happy about being here with you, finally having you in her life as her mom." Will said moving his hand over Shelby's

Shelby looks at their hands and thinks to herself how weird it is that she trusts this man so much, and yet she has no idea why, she has only seen him a handful of times and most of them have been strictly professional, what was it that made her trust him, especially with something so personal.

They have another coffee, Shelby lets herself open up, she finds herself trusting Will even though she barely knows the man, she tells him everything Rachel told him about her dads and how they treated her, all the little details she left out on the phone earlier, she finds herself finally breaking down as everything that has happened that day finally sinks in with her, everything from the first call from Will telling her about Rachel and asking her to come to the school, hearing the phone call Rachel had with one of her dads, the girl breaking down in her arms, how small and fragile she looked in the car on the way home, the phone call with Hiram and Leroy, she finally let it all out and all Will did was hold her.

He sat there and held her until her sobs turned into sniffles, he didn't say anything other than to ask if she wanted anything, Shelby in a moment of vulnerability asks him to just hold her. And he does, no questions asked.

After awhile Will notices that Shelby has calmed down considerably he starts up a conversation just trying to get her to laugh at the very least he is aiming for a smile… and he succeeds. They end up talking most of the night, neither one really realises Will is still holding Shelby, almost protectively, eventually both fall asleep in one another arms.

Around 3am, Shelby and Will are woken up by Rachel having a nightmare.

Shelby shoots up to her feet and is in Rachel's room and by her side in the blink of an eye, she thinks it is possibly the fastest she has ever moved, Will is hot on her heels both worried as to why Rachel was screaming, once they are in the room Shelby notices that Rachel is still well and truly asleep.. and still in the middle of her nightmare, tangled upon the bed sheets struggling to get free, Shelby acts on instinct and starts trying to wake Rachel whilst simultaneously untangling her daughter from the bed sheets that are refusing to budge under Rachel's struggle. Eventually after what feels like a lifetime to Shelby, and with Wills help they get the sheets untangled from around Rachel and the girl starts to settle.

Shelby sits next to her daughter and strokes her hair hoping she doesn't wake, Shelby looks over at Will who has sat himself on the other side of the girl still sleeping in her bed considerably more settled now.

"I hate what they have done to her, when I agreed to be a surrogate I thought I was giving her to a good, loving, caring family, not people who could ever do this to anyone never mind their own child." Shelby says looking down at Rachel.

"You never truly know anybody, and I really don't think when they decided they wanted a child this is how they thought it would be either, that's not me trying excuse what they have done, but just reminding you that people can change over time, and maybe when you first met them they were truly the people you knew, but over time they lost sight of what really matters and what is most important." Will says in a whisper not to wake Rachel.

"Maybe, but if that is the case I dread to think what caused that change, I just hope that I can be enough for her, that I can help her through this and make her happy." Shelby says looking at her baby girl, stroking her hair affectionately, a gesture in which Shelby thinks became a natural habit very quickly considering the girl had only been in her presents around ten to eleven hours now.

"You're not doing it alone, I'm here for both of you." Will says watching Shelby stroking her daughters hair, seeing how she already is with Rachel he knows they're both going to be just fine together, he has always felt a soft spot for Rachel he never understood why until now, finding out everything that was really going on with her, he saw her strength, she had to go from home to school and in both places she was ignored or brushed off, treated in a way no one ever should be especially a girl of her age, there was no getting away from it, she had to be bossy and dramatic for people to actually pay attention to her and listen to what she was trying to say to them.

Shelby looked up from her daughter to Will and realised he really did care for her daughter, she smiled at him.

"Thank you." She reaches over and takes ahold of his hand.


End file.
